Abstract

The use of the nitrophenol group as a metabolic stimulant has brought to light many reports of toxic reactions1, 2, 3, 4 and even fatalities.5 Cutting, Mehrtens and Tainter2 have sounded a sombre note of warning that the drug is still too new in usage and the various manifestations of toxicity are not known. More recently, Dodds and Pope6 have reported better results in the treatment of obesity with the use of dinitro-ortho-cresol instead of dinitrophenol. The clinical application of the drug by Dodds and Robertson7 has shown it to be from three to five times as strong as dinitrophenol,